……

The matter of the southern tour was soon put on the agenda, and the Daikin officials headed by Li Shen immediately drew up travel regulations.

Since the founding of the Jin Dynasty, the emperors of all dynasties have always regarded the land south of the Yangtze River as a treasure land of outstanding people according to the records of the books, and even spent a huge amount of money according to the descriptions in the middle books, spending more than 60 years to manually excavate and imitate various wonders.

The emperor of Dajin is also very keen to travel to the south of the Yangtze River, as the lord of the prosperous world Honglin is no exception, he has been to the south of the Yangtze River five times since he ascended the throne, under the guise of supervising the local river workers, the cost of tens of millions of silver.

Li Shen personally sketched the itinerary of the trip to the south of the Yangtze River: first, he used the imperial boat to go south along the artificially dug canal, and ordered people to plant willow shade potted plants on both sides of the river for Honglin to enjoy along the way, and then used the imperial boat to open the road and build a palace courtyard for the crowd to rest.

The initial budget will cost about five million taels of silver.

Because it was under the guise of public office, Li Shen naturally couldn't let the internal affairs government come out of this money, so he could only find a way to move some money in the treasury, and then notify the businessmen and gentry along the way, so that they could also contribute a part, and strive to make the scenery of this southern tour office so that Honglin could be satisfied.

Soon, the preliminary plan for the southern tour had been prepared, and Li Shen rushed into the palace to ask Honglin to take a look.

As a result, Honglin didn't even look at it, and said directly: "You can do this for me, I am going to do the business, not to have fun." ”

This is said very naturally, just listen to it, of course Li Shen can't be "official", and is flattering: "Long live the Lord is concerned about the country and the society, and the slave naturally knows, but Long live the Lord, in addition to working hard for state affairs, it is also appropriate to take a look at the scenery of the south of the Yangtze River by the way,

Since Long Live Lord believes in the minion, the minion must do this thing in a beautiful way, so that you and the Queen Mother are satisfied. ”

Honglin smiled: "As long as you can speak, then do as you say." ”

Li Shen was just about to thank him, and suddenly Yang Chunsheng came to report: "Long live Lord, Lord Zhang is asking to see you outside the palace." ”

Upon hearing this, a trace of imperceptible disgust crossed Honglin's face, but he quickly said, "Let him in." ”

Waiting for Yang Chunsheng to leave, Li Shen hurriedly said: "Long live the lord, the slave will retire first." ”

didn't want Honglin to stop him: "No, you are here to accompany me, don't avoid it." ”

"The minions obey."

Li Shen stood aside silently, but he was thinking about what Zhang Gui was going to say when he entered the palace.

After a long time, Zhang Gui stepped into the inner hall, and when he saw Honglin, he immediately bowed and knelt down: "Slave Zhang Gui, meet the emperor." ”

Honglin said: "Get up and speak, what do you want to say when you enter the palace this time?" ”

There was no emotion in saying this, obviously Honglin understood that Zhang Gui didn't have a "good heart" when he came to see him.

Zhang Gui said: "The slave heard that His Majesty is going to tour south again? ”

Honglin nodded: "Yes, I plan to tour the south and supervise the river workers in various places by the way, what?" Do you want to stop me? ”

Zhang Gui said: "No, since the emperor wants to supervise the river workers in the south, how dare the servants stop it?"

There are reports from all over the country, droughts in the south of the Yangtze River, people are displaced, and things that change children and eat happen from time to time.

The emperor also happened to take advantage of this southern tour to observe the people's feelings, and many illegal officials should also be wiped out, and the people should be restored! ”

Honglin frowned: "What did you say?" Drought in the south of the Yangtze River? ”

Li Shen on the side heard that Honglin's voice was wrong, and immediately said to Zhang Gui: "Lord Zhang, the disasters in various parts of the Yangtze River have long been solved by the local government, how can there be a drought?" ”

Zhang Gui glanced at Li Shen in disgust: "Lord Li, at this time, do you still plan to hide it from the emperor?"

As the prime minister of the current dynasty, what is the situation of the people in various places, you must know better than the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty! ”

Li Shen hurriedly said to Honglin: "Long live Lord, reports from all over the country say that the disaster situation has stabilized last year, and there is no major disaster, and I don't know where Master Zhang heard about it." ”

Honglin said: "Yes, I have also seen those excerpts, the disaster situation in various places is stable, and the people have resumed farming, so how can there be a natural disaster?" ”

Zhang Gui: "Your Majesty, if it is really as Lord Li said, there is no catastrophe in Dajin at the moment, why should the slaves enter the palace in one fell swoop?"

It has become a common practice in various places to conceal the disaster situation, if it weren't for the fact that the victims from Jiangnan came to Beijing today to sue the emperor, the slaves would not believe that the current disaster situation of my Dajin has reached such a point out of control! ”

"Sue the Emperor?"

Honglin was stunned at first when he heard this, and then his eyes were cold.

"Let's not talk about whether there is a disaster or not, even if there is, then the people should find their local parents, how can they cross over and enter Beijing? Zhang Gui, this is the Dajin Law, and you want to blatantly violate it? Didn't you put the complainants in jail? ”

Zhang Gui said: "The slave knows that this move violates the law, but if the people still have a glimmer of life, how can they take such a big risk to enter Beijing to file a complaint!" ”

Honglin pondered for a moment, and then said, "Where are those disaster victims?" ”

Zhang Gui: "The minions have already arranged for someone to take them into custody." ”

Honglin got up: "Lead the way, I want to meet these victims in person." ”

Hearing this, Li Shen hurriedly said: "Long live Lord, how can you bend down to meet those common people with your golden body?" ”

Honglin: "I just want to see what kind of disaster victims are so bold to go to Beijing to file a complaint, and Zhang Gui will lead the way!" ”

……

Half an hour later, Honglin and Li Shen came to Zhang Gui's mansion and entered the main hall accompanied by Zhang Gui.

Zhang Gui is an honest official, but he has never sought personal gain in his hands, so the family is mediocre, and the most valuable thing is the white jade horse in the stable, which was awarded to him by Honglin five years ago.

"What about the accusers? Let them come out to see me! ”

"The minion will bring people up."

Not long after, Zhang Gui led an old man in his sixties into the main hall.

Also in his early sixties, the old man was skinny, coarse and linen, his face was full of wrinkles from the torture of time, and his hair had long been gray.

On the other hand, Honglin, because of proper maintenance, a 60-year-old person looks like he is in the prime of his forties.

This is the contrast between the imperial power and the villagers.

Zhang Gui pulled the old man to Honglin and said: "Old man, this is the emperor of the dynasty, what are your sufferings, feel free to speak out." ”

When the old man heard this, he was so frightened that he knelt on the ground, kowtowed, and said: "Old man Hu, meet today's long live lord, long live the lord auspicious." ”

Honglin silently looked at Hu Laohan's humble appearance, and then looked at him sloppy and sloppy, and couldn't help but feel a trace of disgust in his heart.

But on the surface, he was calm as usual, and when he finished worshipping, he didn't let him get up, but asked directly: "Hu Laohan, you said you want to sue Jiangnan Qiantang Zhizhou for being unruly?" Is there any evidence? ”

Hu Laohan burst into tears, lowered his head and said: "Long live Lord, the land south of the Yangtze River first suffered from floods, and this year it suffered from drought, and there was no harvest in the fields.

The people in the village ate everything they could eat, even the bark and grass roots, but many people still starved to death, but even so, Zhizhou tried to reduce taxes instead of reducing taxes.

In the name of the public, he forcibly occupied the grass people's land and drove our family out of the village.

The son of the grass folk family was angry, and he was beaten to death by him to theorize, and my mother-in-law also went that night after knowing about it.

The grass people are really desperate, so they can only go to Beijing to sue the emperor, and ask Long Live Lord to be the master of the grass people's family. ”

Hu Laohan's words were hoarse, and Li Shen on the side was a little moved.

But only Hong Lin didn't change his face, his eyes just looked at Hu Laohan.

After a long time, he snorted lightly, as if he had discovered some great secret, the corners of his mouth rose slightly, and he muttered, "I see." ”